Holiday customs on St. George's Day - May 6

The Christian holiday in honor of St. George the Victorious - patron saint of shepherds, sung in folk songs as "beautiful", "flowery" and "lovely George", is one of the biggest and most solemn national holidays. And today the holiday is celebrated on May 6 St. George is also an example of the ideal warrior-Christian and patron saint of the army According to popular beliefs, he is always represented as a horseman who not only defeats the dragon, but also frees the girl destined to be a victim. This is how his image in folk songs and iconography was built. In fact, it is a metaphor for the victory over the cold, evil and release of spring and growth

From George's Day (George's Day, Saint George's Day) the new livestock year begins

In the morning, everyone gets up early and washes their hands and face with dew. The girls take mints, go to the fountain, pick fresh flowers from which they make bunches to decorate the gates and the animals. After returning home, the girls and young brides start kneading the dough for the ritual Gerge breads, called "koshara" or "kuvasnik". For the first time, fresh cheese is also prepared, which is not s alted, so as not to dry up the sheep's milk. On this day, people's heads are also crowned with geranium wreaths. Fires are often lit in the forest, green branches are swung for he alth, and the braver ones bathe in the river. The day doesn't go by without Gerg's swing - a hemp rope is tied to an elm branch, and small and large gather near it. Everyone swinging on the swing must be holding a red Easter egg.

According to an old custom, a sacrifice for he alth is made - a male lamb. When the lambs are roasted, people gather at a common table, consecrate it, drink, make merry and sing songs: "Zdravets za Stergiovden", "Venets za agantsata". On the table besides roast lamb, there should be fresh onions and garlic, salad, chicken, bread and wine. All names – Georgi, Gergana, Ginka, Galya, Galina, Ganka, Gancho and others are also celebrating by welcoming guests to their homes.

For the holiday, the restaurant "Hadjidraganovite khatsi" offers delicious dishes according to old Bulgarian recipes, prepared on the stove, hot plate and embers - "Gergovski's oven-roasted lamb with green salad", "Lamb sarmicki", "Lamb roll", fresh spring salads, scones, etc.